Downing: Biden Administration plays with fire

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By SUZANNE DOWNING

Certain basic functions of everyday life distinguish us from animals. Our use of fire is among them. We cook with it, heat with it, and light the darkness with it. In many ways, fire on the stove is the center of our family life. In days of our ancestors, we even kept wild animals at bay with torches burning hot with the rendered fat of animals.

Now the United States federal government is coming for our fire. It’s to protect the children, the federal government says, through an unelected bureaucrat who wants to regulate gas cookstoves out of existence.

Richard Trumka, Jr., commissioner of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, has been firing up the talking points devised years ago by environmentalists who say gas stoves are bad for the environment. Now, it’s a different threat, Trumka said, because of children. The stoves are fast-tracked to be at least partially banned or heavily regulated (read: made unaffordable) by the agency, starting first with the prohibiting of any new gas hookups to be installed in new homes or new apartments across America.

Trumka told it to Bloomberg this month, but said it to other reporters last month and the month before. It’s a steady drumbeat from the environmentalists trying to “keep it in the ground.”

The keep-it-in-the-ground movement uses studies such as one published in Nature in 2021, which says that 90% of remaining coal in the earth must remain untouched, and 60% of oil and fossil methane gas must stay underground in order for the planet to have a 50% chance of keeping temperatures from rising 1.5 degrees Celsius “above pre-industrial levels.” Everything must go to electric.

It wasn’t that long ago that we were carving out our lives in caves, building sooty fires of driftwood and beach coal to stay warm and to cook seagull eggs, roast oysters, or bubble some porridge of sorghum or amaranth. Life was nasty, brutish, and short, as described by Thomas Hobbes in Leviathan. “No arts, no letters, no society, and which is worst of all, continua fear, and danger of violent death.”

Came along the combustion engine, electricity, paraffin, oil, and natural gas. There was light in the dark. Lifespans increased, people could warm themselves, cook, and have nice things. They could ward off sickness because they were healthier.

But authoritarians use power to gain power. Climate change policy — that ever-changing goal post of the Left — is beta-tested in California, which is, under Democrat control for a generation, moving everyone to the electric grid. In 1992, Southern Californians were forced off of charcoal barbecues, and told they must use propane and gas. As for those wood-chip barbecue chimneys, cooks were forced to use only certain kinds of wood chips and certain brands of starter gels.

The public went quietly along, all in the name of reducing air pollution, repairing the ozone layer, and being good, compliant citizens. After all, it was just charcoal. There was always gas.

Thirty years later, more than 50 governmental units in California have banned gas hookups in new homes and other buildings. The new order is that everyone must move to electric stoves.

And who controls the electricity monopoly? The government-licensed utilities, which also must ration out enough electricity to charge up the electric cars that are part of the government-mandated conversion to all electric.

Last September, California warned people to limit their electric usage between 4-9 pm, as “all resources are committed or forecasted to be in use and energy deficiencies are expected.” The California Independent System Operator asked people to not use large electric appliances. They told people to limit charging their electric cars during the power shortage.

When government can turn on and turn off the power, and when there are no alternatives, the people are right to be worried.

The backlash against Trumka and the Democrats was swift and painful. They had been revealed in all their authoritarian glory.

Trumka and his handlers backed down. They tried to change their story: “To be clear, CPSC isn’t coming for anyone’s gas stoves. Regulations apply to new products,” he said.

The reality is, Trumka revealed the real plan. First ban new stoves, then make parts unavailable for existing stoves, then do a tax incentive to turn in your stove.

They want everyone on a centralized power grid that has the government controlling the current to their homes, businesses, and cars. There will be no choice, no free market in fuels. There will be no consumer propane tanks.

In 1992, Americans never thought the government would come for their cooking stoves. In 1992, you would have been considered a conspiracy theorist to predict government would start promoting bugs for food.

In 2023, we can predict, without so much of a tin hat, that the government will soon come calling for our candles, backyard fire pits, and pellet-burning heating units.

They may have tried to take back the words, but they are coming for our fire. Authoritarians on the Left, in their attempt to take power from the people, have threatened the most primordial aspect of our nature: The human imperative to survive.

Suzanne Downing is publisher of Must Read Alaska.

98 COMMENTS

  1. Right on Suzanne! I would usually write to my congressman or senators, local or state representatives… alas they are all in on the bs.
    We have no representation to even stand up for us here in Alaska, where fire is life.

  2. What is most disturbing to me is not this sort of death-cult authoritarianism coming from the political ruling class, but the masses of radical leftist catfish who automatically swallow it all down without question, despite the obvious contradictions, hypocrisies and lack of logic inherent in all of it, much less the obvious totalitarian control agenda that represents, that is in fact SO obvious than any average eight year-old should be able to see it. But I guess the average eight year-old has never had a university indoctrination, er, “education”.

  3. With all this global warming bs. The elite have not attack the biggest polluters of all, their private jets or airport travel. How many gallons of jet fuel does Ted Stevens go through a day?

  4. Looking at the carbon footprint of government is the first place to test the reduction of fossil fuels. No fuel for the military who destroys everything and is one of the biggest users and environmental destroyer we have. Let’s stop heating all government buildings and ban travel for officials who can zoom. Next let’s cut immigration because of the amount of fuel used to move them around and support them with food ,medical , and other energy uses. Then let’s stop all sports, concerts, political events that waste fuel. No first they want us to eat plant based food not cooked. Lead the experiment you worthless politicians or sit down. We don’t need you talking down to us and the restricting our way of life.

  5. Except nobody is wanting to take away “natural” gas stoves-they well may regulate the sales of new gas stoves to only allow for propane gas. Big difference Suzanne.

    • Taking away the option of buying natural (no quotes required) gas stoves through regulation is taking away stoves. If government takes away the option of buying milk from the grocery store through regulation they are taking away milk. 8t doesn’t matter what good or service you use the same holds true time and time again, if government through regulation removes something from the market they are taking it away…it’s the very purpose of regulating it away.

      • Steve-O, nobody is going to make natural gas stoves illegal-is that better for you. I’m merely speculating about the regulation of new ranges perhaps forcing them to use jets that only properly burn propane.
        The main purpose here is a word to the wise about the health benefits of removing this source of nitrogen dioxide from your inside air.
        Anyway, there is a very specific difference between taking away existing ranges and regulating them away. You even are able to discern this difference.

        • Bill,
          Why do you keep claiming burning propane doesn’t generate nitric oxides? I’ve read studies that show it can generate more than twice as many nitric oxides as natural gas per btu. You do realize, of course, that propane used in cooking is burned as a gas and fits in the category of “gas stoves” that the lunatics on the left are trying to ban. Please Bill, tell me you realize this…

          U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. was quoted as saying “We need to be talking about regulating gas stoves, whether that’s drastically improving emissions or banning gas stoves entirely. And I think we ought to keep that possibility of a ban in mind, because it’s a powerful tool in our tool belt and it’s a real possibility here,” While there’s absolutely no doubt that there is a difference between taking away existing, in use, stoves and regulating away the ability to purchase or install them. There is also absolutely no doubt that banning them through regulation is taking them away. You are probably unable to discern this difference.

          • Steve-O, I must apologize for my claims that burning propane doesn’t generate nitric oxides and you are indeed correct that it does. I have no excuse for my blunder here but, that said, propane is a cleaner gas than natural gas in general for the environment but that’s relative to its escapement into the atmosphere.
            So any sound way of preventing these toxins from “gas” ranges would involve the replacement of them with electric induction ranges and this would be expensive without subsidies for them. Some mitigation could take the form of induction hot plates for the boiling of water and, for sure, high capacity hood vents that need to be turned on whenever cooking and even using those back burners as they are better vented by exhaust hoods than fronts.
            Now the folks suggesting NG bans are pushing for banning even vented gas appliances (furnaces, water heaters) for reasons, other than nitrogen oxides, namely the leaking of NG from most of them. This is presently being done on a local (and state) basis but is complex and involves even the use of “renewable” NG, that is more environmentally friendly.
            At the least, the burning of gas (including propane) indoors in cooking ranges is a health issue that can be mitigated/corrected but will be initially expensive and may involve subsidies like tax credits, similar to those for energy efficient wood stoves.

          • Bill,
            I’m glad to see that you’ve finally shown yourself capable of admitting when you are wrong, that’s a first that I can recall and a pleasant Sunday surprise.

            As far as mitigation goes, opening a window is a cheap effective method. No need for bans, tax credits, or any other subsidies…just open a window and let some fresh air in.

          • Steve-O, thanks but I don’t think opening a window will satisfy anyone but you.
            I’ve a cousin in CA who just emailed me this morning that he felt that CA would ban new gas stoves. There just doesn’t seem to be a mitigation that can solve the indoor health problem. My own situation involves an off-road cabin that even has propane lights that will be replaced with LED lights first thing during moose season next year. I’ll definitely open the door when cooking as no option for electric range without large generator, although that would make a refrig/freezer possible.

          • Bill,
            You should take the time to read the studies before calling for the wholesale ban of a product. If you take the time to inform yourself you will find that the simple act of opening a window mitigates the hazard. The studies showing elevated levels of NOx are done in air tight rooms over extended periods of time, these same studies show that opening a window or using proper ventilation removes the hazard. There is absolutely no reason, outside of political theater and climate zealotry, to want to ban gas stoves.

          • Except I’m not calling for a ban on gas stoves-I’m an electric stove guy, except in my moose cabin, so it’s just not an issue one way or the other. What I’m doing is replacing my propane lights but you can burn those if you feel the need. Nobody is going to be opening a window @ 40 below while cooking and especially all night while reading by their propane lights-LEDs are easily replacing those lights.
            Here is a Canadian look at the issue and these researchers are going electric after their studies ‘https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/gas-stoves-air-pollution-1.6394514

        • Bill Yankee said: “nobody is going to make natural gas stoves illegal”

          They’ve already banned new ones in Cali and NY. Also banned natural gas hookups for new homes.

          You need to get better informed. Cheers –

          • My comment about this banning was meant on a national level Alex and you are correct that many local and state governments have actually banned new stoves or are considering banning new gas ranges. That said nobody, so far, is making them illegal or coming for your existing cooking range.

          • Bill,
            Come on man, you were doing so well at admitting you were wrong. But now you are trying to say that no one at the national level is calling for a ban? We’ve already been over this…U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. was quoted as saying “We need to be talking about regulating gas stoves, whether that’s drastically improving emissions or banning gas stoves entirely. And I think we ought to keep that possibility of a ban in mind, because it’s a powerful tool in our tool belt and it’s a real possibility here,”

            And Bill, the places that banned them made them illegal. The regulations and laws they’ve passed didn’t make it so it’s OK to have new gas stoves, it made it illegal to have new gas stoves.

          • Steve-O, talking about regulating gas stoves is not the same thing as calling for a national ban. And Berkeley has banned new hookups on all natural gas appliances about 3 years ago but their reasoning is more broad than indoor health.

          • One more time for those of us with reading comprehension issues

            U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. was quoted as saying “We need to be talking about regulating gas stoves, whether that’s drastically improving emissions or banning gas stoves entirely. And I think we ought to keep that possibility of a ban in mind, because it’s a powerful tool in our tool belt and it’s a real possibility here,”

          • Like I said already Steve-O, talking about the regulating of gas stoves is not the same as calling for a national ban. Keeping it in mind is also not calling for a national ban, either. Heheh!

          • It’s right up there^ but let me post it once again. “We need to be talking about regulating gas stoves, whether that’s drastically improving emissions or banning gas stoves entirely.” Read closely, Bill. Specifically the part that say BANNING GAS STOVES ENTIRELY. That’s a direct quote from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner.

          • Again Steve-O, the banning of gas stoves is just one of many possible outcomes from talking about regulating of gas stoves-another could be “drastically improving emmissions.”
            While you are grasping at straws here Steve-O, you are the one with reading comprehension issues.

    • Whidbey, you are a scientifically ignorant fool.
      .
      There is NO product of combustion in the burning of propane that is not also present in the burning of methane (natural gas). Both are simple alkane hydrocarbons, and both produce nothing but water vapor and carbon dioxide when burned (unless contaminated).
      .
      But you go and continue being a good shill and lackey for the ruling class, and a good radical leftist catfish. That would seem to be your only claim to fame.

      • If that were true Jefferson then you could produce the scientific explanation from a reputable source, rather than you own spew.
        Go ahead and produce such or stfu.

        • Bill, you don’t get Natural Gas out there on the Backloop, do you? So banning future sales of NG appliances would not affect you, right?
          What was it you told Jefferson? Oh yeah, stfu. Sounds like you should take your own advice.
          Hee hee

          • Bobby, Juneau doesn’t have a natural gas issue but some do use propane cooking ranges that produce those nitrogen oxides (I mistakenly earlier thought propane didn’t produce them). I cook with an electric range and like you say have no NG appliances so I would not be in the least put out should they be banned.
            The regulation of gas cooking ranges may well be in our future, because of their indoor health issues, but the banning of “future sales of other NG appliances” is something for local govts. to ponder because of the leaking of said NG, rather than the indoor health issues because those appliances are vented to the outdoors. Of course venting hoods for gas ranges do some venting of the toxins but that, in most cases, is for the user to determine their own level of safety.

          • Bill, you better stop eating oranges, too, because you know that they contain formaldehyde, right?
            .
            Oh, and avocados contain a toxic protein, did you know that?
            .
            And most vegetables and fruits contain toxic pesticide and herbicide residues.
            .
            And most grains and nuts contain trace quantities of highly toxic aflatoxins.
            .
            And lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic are almost ubiquitous in most of our foods — if you analyze them at low enough thresholds.
            .
            I think you better just wrap yourself in bubblewrap, sit on your couch and just wait for death, Bill. That would be the safest existence.

      • You are correct Jefferson about the burning of propane and natural gas but they both produce nitrogen oxides and not “nothing but water vapor and carbon dioxide when burned….”
        My earlier posts about propane not producing those nitrogen oxides was incorrect and I apologize for that.

        • If you can’t be bothered to present, or even know, at what levels natural gas-burning stoves produce nitrogen oxides, then you are merely gibbering and pretending to understand an issue about which you clearly know nothing, other than to parrot the propaganda and talking points of sociopathic globalists with a clearly totalitarian control agenda.

          • You are correct that I don’t know at what levels those gas stoves produce nitrogen oxides but do know that they result in higher levels indoors for that toxin than recommended Jefferson. You might like this: “Yet the EPA’s own science shows that homes with gas stoves have around 50 percent, ranging up to over 400 percent, higher levels of NO2 than homes with electric stoves.”
            Pretty big range there but likely due to other factors involving hooded vents and how airtight the home is.
            Whatever the case for the individual, this is a potential indoor health issue to be handled by the homeowner IMO.

          • Bill,
            You should take the time to read the studies before valling for the wholesale ban of a product. If you take the time to inform yourself you will find that the simple act of opening a window mitigates the hazard.

          • Or, Steve, if there were REALLY any merit to the arguments about dangerous indoor air pollution due to the use of gas stoves — which I highly doubt there is — then all that a sane and reasonable government would do is to propagate that information, and allow the consumer to choose whether to buy and use a gas stove or not.
            You know, CHOICE, Bill — “My body my choice!”
            .
            Funny how your radical leftist authoritarians like to use that slogan only when it comes to killing fetuses, and in no other circumstances.

          • Again Steve-O, who is calling for the national ban of a product? And the opening of a window is less of a mitigating factor than a high power hood vent.
            What is it that bothers you about my saying this indoor health issue is “one to be handled by the homeowner?” My readings of this issue recognize the issues with natural gas hook-ups in certain areas that have banned them or considering the banning. Those issues tend to be for issues other than indoor health, but they will likely make NG appliances more expensive IMO.

          • Bill,

            Please read it this time

            U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. was quoted as saying “We need to be talking about regulating gas stoves, whether that’s drastically improving emissions or banning gas stoves entirely. And I think we ought to keep that possibility of a ban in mind, because it’s a powerful tool in our tool belt and it’s a real possibility here,”

        • Billy, Years ago I built the Treadwell Arena in Douglas. The Zamboni operated on Propane, it was essentially a Chevy Half-Ton Pickup Chassis, with a V-8 engine. The Architect, (Wayne Jensen) and the Mechanical Engineers looked into the possibility of nitrogen oxide contamination of the air inside the Arena. I think some of the hockey players including Joe Geldhof brought the subject to light. Anyway we installed a sniffer (sensor) and an exhaust fan with an automatic damper for ventilation. The thing seemed to work pretty well.
          Residential kitchens, I believe by code are required to have a vented fan either an updraft or down draft type. Sensors for the Gas in Question are fairly inexpensive and are sometimes coupled with smoke detectors. Meaning the issue may already be covered by Building Officials in your area.
          I want a Gas Range, however my wife prefers an electric top, guess which one I own!
          Happy New Year Billy and happy hunting! I Look forward to sparring with you in the future here on the comment section.
          You have a propane stove in your Moose Cabin?, Not for me, I love the toxic fumes of my Coleman Blazo fueled Stoves and Lantern, plus in a pinch I’ve run my outboard on White Gas!

          • Thanks for that history Robert. Was just inside that arena for hockey game between Soldotna and Juneau high school.
            Doesn’t appear to be any code nationwide for the venting of gas stoves although they are clearly recommended. One commenter on here seems to think that opening a window should do the trick. Heheh! Sort of on the order of opening a window should work for asbestos issues, or tobacco smoke.
            I do have propane for a cook top at my moose cabin and it also furnishes lighting that I’m planning to replace with LEDs first thing next Fall.
            As for that liquid gas stove and lantern, be sure to use unleaded fuel to get the maximum toxic fumes you love.

          • My second attempt at this reply Robert but I want to say thanks for that history of hockey arena and I was just there last Friday night when Juneau high played Soldotna.
            I know of no codes relative to vented hoods but do know they are highly recommended. We have a commenter on here who insists that the way to properly mitigate these gas stoves’ indoor air pollution is to open a window but that is just not practical and likely doesn’t do the job IMO.
            Yes I do burn propane at my moose cabin near Fairbanks and I also have propane lights that I intend to replace with LEDs first thing this Fall. As to your needing to breath those toxic fumes from your coleman stove and lantern, I suggest you burn unleaded gas in them for more effect. Heheh!

  6. In 2023, we can predict, without so much of a tin hat, that the government will soon come calling for our candles, backyard fire pits, and pellet-burning heating units.

    This is the most idiotic thing I have ever read on this site and that’s saying something.

    Stoking outrage is the best way to have people keep giving you donations to run this sham of a “news” site.

    Classy how your grift for donations is on full display at the bottom of the diatribe.

    Also, I appreciate that you only publish comments you like and agree with.

    Grift. Grift. Grift.

    • Lol. Oh Skarrah. I mean Sarah. Hey. How is that “living life comfortable” going? While Cinderella suffers. I hear 1929 stock crash is coming. Talk about karma with whip cream on top. Poor Sarah.

  7. Despite all of the sky is falling hyperbole (i.e., the jack-booted thugs are coming for your stove!) that makes for sensational headlines and great fundraising pleas, this is one of the most ridiculous talking points floating around on the internet. I guess the right had to pivot from saying Biden was coming for your guns—I mean eight years of Obama and the only person who almost had his gun taken was Bundy. (Of course it was Trump who banned bump stocks, but I digress.)

    The CPSC is well within their purview as a federal agency. And this is what that agency does—look into consumer products that are on the market that may be harming said consumers. I don’t see much hand wringing going on over here about their working to get cribs that kill children off the market. And I don’t remember any government agent coming for my Lawn Darts in the 1980s. But I have seen plenty of Republicans on TV shilling for money using this false outrage to crumb up your enthusiasm.

    Now, we know climate change isn’t a popular topic here, so anything that might help mitigate future impacts is going to be skewered. But what’s with all of the anti-health attitudes? Like opposition to wearing a mask when you may be sick, getting vaccines, trying to improve air quality, etc. Is it an ingrained anti-science/progress philosophy? Or is it an unwavering libertarian ideology of “only freedom”? Or is it an anti-Democrat reflex?

    • Dear Sh—Hitting-The-Fan,
      .
      Our opposition to this obvious giant governmental overreach, and obvious control agenda, is based on one simple fact: those of us who are not mindless establishment sycophants and kneejerk conformists know when we are being bullshitted. And we are CLEARLY being bulls—— by this ban-gas-stove insanity.

    • “………Despite all of the sky is falling hyperbole (i.e., the jack-booted thugs are coming for your stove!) that makes for sensational headlines and great fundraising pleas, this is one of the most ridiculous talking points floating around on the internet……..”
      How old are you? Seven? You haven’t seen this crap before? Hell, even if you’re seven, you should have noticed it over the past couple of tyrannical years.
      I just had to pull my kitchen faucet to remove the federally mandated low-flow blockades (multiple ones now in every faucet) in order to rinse my dishes. I routinely do that with shower nozzles so I can get wet. I’ve recently replaced all three of our toilets, and had to conduct deep research in order to ensure that these low-flow units (the only toilets available now) have the umpfh to flush a small turd reliably on the first try, and even then, they require multiple tries (thus wasting more water than the old 2.5-3 gallon tanks).
      Now it’s gas stoves. I think it’s time to burn some tyrants at the steak (intentional spelling there, because they want to take those, too) with some good, old fashioned firewood…….cut with two-cycle chainsaws, and with the tyrants forced to smell and hear the chainsaws working while waiting for the flame to be ignited with a propane weed burner.
      Just wait. They’ll be coming after your crayons before you reach puberty.

  8. Has anyone mentioned that regardless of heat source, the act of cooking releases many different unhealthy compounds – I would guess much more than the gas flame itself?

      • Billy Boy, Chris isn’t spouting gibberish, that topic in which you excel, no, he is pointing to a scientific fact. Seems that carcinogens in certain foods are produced through the roasting and or smoking process.

        • Very true, Robert. The PAHs (polyaromatic hydrocarbons) produced by the grilling and roasting of meat are long-recognized carcinogens. Almost as carcinogenic, in fact, as the misinformation, half-truths and lies propagated by the several globalist ‘useful idiots’ and ruling class quislings who regularly infest this forum.

  9. It is my fervent hope some day these dolts are compelled to live in their “green utopia”.

    No heat, no power, no modern conveniences, no medicine, no cell phones ever.

    When every moment is a struggle to survive. Where no one, especially nature gives a damn about your pronouns. Where everything from the clothes on your back to your children can and often are taken by bigger, stronger, ruthless men (yes, men) who make Antifa look like kindergarten.

    I only have one restriction. No killing the soy boys. The must live with the consequences of their utopia.

  10. Just to be sure using “pre-industrial levels” as the benchmark in global temperatures is using the lowest possible starting point in the last 1,000 years, rivaling the coolest periods in the last 10,000 years since the end of the last ice age. In fact science tells us during the Climatic optimum from 5,000 to 3,000 BC the global climate was approximately 1-2 degrees Celsius warmer than it is now, this is the time that science also tells us that civilization began to flourish.

  11. How many weeks will it take for the new container ships to make the trip from China to US ports with sails.
    China will be exempt though I’m sure. Got to keep the “Big Guy” and handlers happy

  12. Yet another reminder of how far Totalitarians are prepared to go to control the populous. We can’t allow these folks to hold or stay in public office. Vote every election to keep your liberties. No excuses.

  13. I remember last winter here in Juneau. About -10 and a good wind blowing. At about 4:30 pm the grid overloaded and the town went dark. The house got cold quickly. My gas stove kept dinner simmering as I got out my gas powered generator to power my pellet stove. The power did come back shortly after, but it was a grim reminder.

      • Oh, BS, Bill. Propane is a longer molecule. It burns dirtier. Only thing out of a calibrate natural gas flame is CO2 and H2O. Greens are going after both using climate change as an excuse. Cheers –

        • They both produce nitrogen oxides and your statement that NG produces only CO2 and H2O is false, Alex.
          It was my blunder about propane not causing that indoor pollution.

      • I apologize for this statement Jim, as the burning of propane also produces these nitrogen oxides. That said, your gas stove is a cause of indoor air pollution that you can prevent or clearly reduce by several methods. Good luck with your mitigation here (whatever you choose).

        • And at what level do gas stoves produce nitrogen oxides, Bill? And at what level as compared to naturally-occurring levels of those gases? Come on, give me numbers!
          .
          If you can’t make a quantitative and comparative analysis of the supposed data which you pretend to spout, your utterances mean exactly nothing, and are of zero value.

    • We are never more than one missed barge from shortages of everything.

      I keep a gas powered Coleman burner and about 3 weeks of canned food in supply.

      Credit to AELP. They keep the power on in a crappy environment.

  14. It’s amazing how few people denying the fed was toying with this bothered to actually read about Trumka.

    Fascinating reading:

    in October he actually tried to push this concept to the Consumer Public Safety Commission. It went nowhere because they unilaterally rejected it.

    In December he tried to bite the apple again, saying a ban on gas stoves was a “real possibility”. By the end of 2023 if enough public pressure could be generated.

    Being a Democrat and apparently an eco warrior, he’ll try again. Eventually he’ll probably succeed. The left never stops. The right never actually starts.

    He’s got an interesting background. A stalwart democrat, his dad ran the AFL CIO. While children are not accountable for their parents sins, it speaks to the mindset he was probably raised with.

  15. Also: Kathy Hotchul has tried to sneak past the citizens of NY State a ban or gas stoves, hot water heaters, and gas furnaces.

    Smooth move in a harsh winter.

    It’ll probably pass.

  16. If three people from the left flatly deny anyone from their side wants to ban or alter something, it’s a virtual certainty that’s exactly what they want to do.

    Opinion? No. Paranoid? Nope. History. Nothing more, nothing less.

    I’m a student of history. The lefts track record of denial followed by then doing exactly what they said they would never do is long and very public. It’s alternatively sad and impressive.

    • The so-called “conspiracy theory” of today is the established conspiracy fact of tomorrow.
      HOW many times have we seen this play out in just the past three years, particularly with the Wuhan Virus plandemic?

  17. This is all about power and control and little to actually do with air quality. I have always cooked with gas and until our current kitchen remodel, in the home we have lived and cooked in for 32 years, we cooked with poor ventilation and little makeup air. Add in also a wood burning stove. And wonder of wonders, no asthma or any respiratory issues with any of us – our kids survived, both also as endurance sport athletes, and I am a distance runner. Alas our new kitchen will have a high powered, high btu gas pro-stove but with addition of recommended CFM’s of ventilation and compensating makeup air. And this is mostly for the effluence caused by cooking as the natural gas itself burns pretty darn clean. All of this insanity is agenda driven having little to do with health or environment. And to the leftist contributors above – the reference to candles I would suggest were for emphasis, given candles would be hard to control as we can make them. Albeit never underestimate our government as it certainly is not longer ‘for the people or by the people’.

  18. “Thousands of years ago the first man discovered how to make fire. He was probably burnt at the stake he’d taught his brothers to light, but he left them a gift they had not conceived and he lifted darkness from the face of the Earth.”
    Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead

  19. What’s a good alternate to either gas, oil, or electricity? Inquiring minds want too know? Should we cut trees down for firewood? We all bitch! But now soulfully, solutions!

  20. No one’s hands are clean. Wait until the www exposes it all at once. Hahahaha. News won’t be able to keep up. Oops. Technology. Might as well take advantage of it. They certainly took advantage of humanity for long enough.

  21. In Fairbanks, the electricity my range runs on comes from the burning of coal, unless the power is out, in which case it comes from the burning of gasoline. In either case, burning propane would be ultra clean by comparison. – M.John

  22. I say what I say? Mean what I mean? Again? Does anybody have approved? Agendas of??no oil, gas or electricity?
    Please tell now? What is the solution?

  23. It’s funny how this supposed, putative “danger” from gas stoves just suddenly appears, ex nihilo, just as the globalists and ruling class sociopaths are simultaneously ramping up their war on fossil fuels via multiple other avenues. Yep, just a coincidence, I’m sure.

    • Just because you are only hearing about it now Jefferson doesn’t mean its suddenly new. Several cities have already banned new gas stoves and a few states are considering it as well.
      Indoor air health issues will always get some attention and have nothing to do with sociopaths. Heheh!

  24. It’s all about control. They want complete control.
    You cant have my guns, my ammo, my wood stove, NG/Propane stove, you wont control my electricity, my VOTE will count, I wont wear a mask nor take the jab, I’ll still drive my diesel when I need to, I will raise my voice when needed.
    I’m an American and Alaskan I wish the rest would act like they are or go back wherever you didnt like. But stop trying to change a way of life here.

    Thanks for the great article Suzanne

  25. Certainly the utility companies have got faster in restoring electricity here after a storm. Not likely to be without power for weeks as in the past. But always a possibility for the “perfect storm”, in the middle of winter. Those of us with types of gas heating units that do not need electricity to operate and kerosene or gas lights will suffer little as we watch our neighbors trying to get gasoline for their portable generators to stop their pipes from freezing and charge their smart phones. Imagine one of the less friendly countries releasing an already developed device that takes out all solid state electronic devices. We have an over dependency on electricity to the extent that we depend upon it for our very survival. To mitigate this, other fuels should always be part of our lives. I can cook a five course meal in a well lighted warm house without electricity. And water holding tanks are good for months. The electric grid is fragile as most of bush Alaska already knows. People who worship electricity have evolved into a non-survivable cult. And gas appliances beat the heck out of wood for convenience. Nobody should have to be worried about watching their family freezing in the middle of a cold dark winter with nobody to call on their dead smart phone. Be a good Boy Scout. There’s not enough trees to keep Anchorage warm in an extended power outage, so natural gas is the obvious solution.

  26. Gol dang , this non-issue sure flushed the fear-based, fear-mongering, evidence-free fascists in the Valley. Another behavioral modification win for Downing.

    • “Non-issue”?
      .
      At what does heavy-handed governmental overreach, and outright tyranny, become ‘an issue’ for you, anyway? Is there ANY point at which it becomes an issue for you? Or are you stupidly happy just so long as our globalist ruling class sociopaths are providing you with flimsy and transparently false rationalizations for their every coercive dictate and stripping of freedom?

    • Lucinda, Please try to be be specific when you are casting aspersions against a given group of individuals. For example, which Valley? The Tanana? The Mendenhall? Maybe the Knik? Because I know several of the comments above were written by people in those locations. Infantile and sophomoric political opinions can be overlooked Lucinda, but in Alaska, Geographic Ignorance in unpardonable.

        • Sorry, Lucinda, there is no such place as “the Matanuska Susitna Valley”.
          Because there is no Matanuska-Susitna River.
          .
          There is the Matanuska Valley, and then there is the separate Susitna Valley.
          .
          Anyone who talks about “the valley”, or “the Mat-Su Valley”, is simply demonstrating their profound ignorance, and I judge whatever further they have to say accordingly.

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